Confused Fruits

Don’t worry, we’re not announcing a new range of icky fruit soups. We’re merely using the picture to highlight the purpose of this blog post. Today, we’re looking at confused fruits. Now this may seem like a ridiculous question, but I will ask it anyway. Do you know the difference between a fruit and a vegetable?

Just in case you don’t, here is a little definition.  A vegetable is the edible part of a plant, usually the root, leaf or stem and is always seedless. A fruit on the other hand is a structure created by the plant that holds the seeds.

However despite the definition being pretty clear, occasionally we get a few fruit sailors that jump ship and join the vegetable army. The classic tomato is first and often the only thing that springs to mind when we think of fruits that like to act as vegetables. However, in actual fact there are many, many more. Here are a few others to add to your list.

Avocado Pear – The clue is in the name really. Avocados are technically classed as fruits however they sit better when treated as vegetables…….particularly in a crayfish and avocado sandwich mmmmmmm.

Ackee – This is a traditional Jamaican fruit that is always served as a vegetable and goes particularly well with fish.

Beans – As beans and peas are defiantly the seeds of the plant, they should always be classed as a fruit.

Pumpkins & Squashes – These winter favourites are very big fruits indeed, however I’m happy for them to act as vegetables. I don’t fancy pumpkin soup for dessert!

Chillies - All chillies and peppers are actually fruits (the clue's in the seeds this time) including deadly hot varieties such as jalapeños and scotch bonnets.